Throwback Thursday: silver clay

On By CarynIn Craft, throwback

In April of 2009 I made one of my favorite metal clay jewelry sets. Metal clay is fine particles of silver suspended in a medium to make it workable like clay. It is then fired in a kiln to burn off the organics leaving nearly pure silver in the slightly smaller shaped form, all without forging or soldering.

Photo description: silver clay pieces ready for the kiln. The cork supports burn away in the high temperatures.
Photo description: after firing the pieces need to be cleaned with a brass brush
Photo description: fired metal pieces polished to a mirror finish by tumbling with polishing media
Photo description: custom metal clay links and clasps combined with sterling silver production elements and Swarovski crystal to make a necklace, bracelet, and earring set

The metal clay does give options for designs that are difficult to achieve with traditional gold smithing tools, but requires its own set of specialty tools like the kiln.